In his book, The Closing of the American Mind, Allan Bloom makes the statement that classics ( e.g., music and literature) are good, all else, not so much. He condemns the entire film genre and we can assume television as well, as not good. I agree that classic works have a theme and complexity to them that is lacking in many modern artistic works, however I disagree with the assumption that what is not classic is not good. I recognize that these modern works are not going to go away until they are replaced by something that in Bloom's view would be even worse. As future teachers, it will be important for us to relate the classic works to our students in ways that are relevant and engaging. So as bad as Bloom says these modern works are, they can be used as a portal for teachers to bring the classics to their students. I think this gets to the heart of Bloom's statement in the Preface of the book that "No real teacher can doubt that his task is to assist his pupil to fulfill human nature against all the deforming forces of convention and prejudice".
As teachers we can bring our students to recognize the classics they know through pop culture. By revealing the classics in the movies, television shows and cartoons watched by students, teachers can draw students into study and discussion of classic works. Consider the final movement, the Ode to Joy, in Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D Minor. This music can be appreciated on its own by some, or through the revelation that it is used in the movies A Clockwork Orange and Die Hard. Perhaps film clips can be shared in class to see if students could identify the music. Who among us can hear Rossini's The Barber of Seville Overture without picturing Bugs Bunny massaging the scalp of Elmer Fudd in that famous cartoon? This draws us into the fond rememberance of time spent at the movies with friends or perhaps of time spent in front of the television in our youth while our mothers were busy in the kitchen frying up bacon and eggs for the family breakfast. By drawing our senses and emotions into the discussion of the classics, students can develop a more passionate relationship and appreciation for the classic arts.
There are several websites devoted to helping folks make these connections - here are just a few entertaining sites:
For classical music in movies, see: http://classicalmusic.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&sdn=classicalmusic&cdn=entertainment&tm=29&gps=60_469_935_635&f=00&tt=14&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.classicalarchives.com/movies/
For classical music in television, see: http://classicalmusic.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&sdn=classicalmusic&cdn=entertainment&tm=256&gps=84_523_935_635&f=00&tt=14&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.geocities.com/musiclassical/themes.html
To learn all about the most popular classical music used in pop culture, see: http://www.kickassclassical.com/
As effective teachers we need to be open to use all the tools at our disposal in the education of our students, and pop culture can certainly be one of those tools. Teachers can use modern music and films to elicit emotion and experiences that our students can relate to, allowing us to create a bridge to the classics. So while Bloom may say modern works are not good, I maintain that they serve a good purpose and are therefore worthwhile.
